Like A Brother
by Wherever Girl
Summary: Just a series of drabbles centered around Oliver and Swaine. The Thief never did think he'd see the young wizard as another little brother.
1. Taking A Chance

And it turns out old habits die hard. Forgive me... but several ideas for this fic came at me at 4 AM, I couldn't sleep, and so I decided to write.

Oh, don't act like you've never had the same problem!

Anyway, I noticed there aren't many NNK fics that center around Swaine and Oliver. So far I've only seen one... and so I decided to write a drabble series about them. :D

Basically, it'll be about events that happen during the plot (after they meet Swaine) to post-game- not in that order. Spoilers can be promised (forgive me). I also felt that Oliver would be thought of as another little brother to Swaine, which pretty much encourages him to stick with him through the entire quest...

Okay, enough rambling. On to the first drabble!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ni No Kuni... haven't even played the game... but someday I shall!

0o0o0o0o0

_I must be crazy doing this, _Swaine thought as he stood on the boat, _The Sea Cow, _looking out at the horizon. The sun was beginning to set, and there were some dark clouds forming far off. Normally, he never got himself involved in other people's affairs- unless he needed information to use against them later on, otherwise he kept to himself, shutting the doors to his own life and keeping everyone else locked out.

...That is, until he met Oliver and Esther.

A majority of the past 15 years were a blur. All he could remember was stealing objects without a care- even if they were worth nothing to him, such as that cauldron he swiped, what would he want with that? No, the most important thing he could remember stealing was a permission slip to use Queen Lowlah's boat and a picture of a young sage the two kids were looking for. _Alright, should be easy, _he thought at first, tracking them from Castaway Cove to Al Mamoon, and back. _They're just a couple pesky kids, swiping from them should be easy._

And easy it was... but it was getting on the boat that was hard. Sindbah, the captain, didn't trust the thief at all. Then Oliver and Esther returned, demanding their things back. All he felt at first was rage, then everything went dark...

But the darkness faded, his Nightmare gone... all because of those kids- one of them being a wizard. He couldn't believe his ears, hearing how they managed to help Rashaad, one of the Great Sages, and how the young wizard was intent on taking down the Dark Djinn, Shadar. And now they were looking for another Sage in Hamelin...

And Swaine had offered to take them to him.

He didn't exactly know what got into him. Maybe it was Oliver's determination, or the fact that the kid had mended his broken-heart, but something led the thief to go along with them on this little quest. Of course, he would just claim he was just using them to get to Hamelin to solve his own matters with the Sage, but deep down he knew there was something else.

_No matter. _Swaine thought, pushing such thoughts aside. _Once we're in Hamelin, I'll get my own matters solved and ditch these kids._

Suddenly the sky grew dark. The thief paused, looking around, feeling an eerie change in the air. He looked over at Esther and Oliver- clearly, they felt it too.

Then the storm came in... followed by the Dark Djinn himself.

The rest went by fast- all Swaine could remember was using his Pickpocket's Pistol to do as much damage to Shadar as he could, even breaking out Gunthur, his familiar, to fight against him. But the Dark Djinn only laughed at their efforts and disappeared...

But not before unleashing the Eye of the Storm upon them.

_Bloody hell! _Swaine thought, feeling scared, angry, and regretting coming on this voyage, as the storm practically threw the ship around, until it hit a reef.

_"Man overboard!" _a sailor shouted.

"Oliver!" Esther cried, looking over the railing while hanging on for dear life.

Swaine looked over, seeing Oliver had fallen overboard. The young wizard could barely keep his head up over the crashing waves, and he started to go under.

"Hang on!" Swaine heard a shout... not realizing it came from him, until he found himself tying a rope around his waist and diving off the ship and into the frigid water. He went under, seeing the young wizard had somehow fallen unconcious and was sinking. _Dammit! For a wizard, he sure sucks at swimming... _he thought, but swam over, managing to grab Oliver's hand before he was yanked back by the ship.

He held on to Oliver, breaking surface, and hanging on to the rope, seeing Sindbah and his crew were pulling them in, Esther and Mr. Drippy watching from the railing with concern.

"It's okay, I gotcha," Swaine whispered to Oliver. "It'll be alright..."

The storms calmed just then, as the ship ran onto an island. Swaine's feet touched land, and he ran onto the beach, untying his lifeline with one hand while supporting Oliver with the other. He lied him down on the beach, as Esther and a few sailors came running over. "Is he alright?" Esther asked, breathing heavily.

"Y-yeah, I think so. He's still breathing," Swaine replied, taking in a few breaths. He looked back out at the sea. "So... that was Shadar, huh? That bastard is going to regret that..."

"Couldn't've said it better myself, mun," Mr. Drippy agreed, hopping over by Oliver. "Pickin' on us like that, an' nearly takin' Ollie-boy from us!"

"Oh, thank you for saving him!" Esther suddenly cried, hugging Swaine's arm before kneeling beside the young wizard. "Look, he's coming to!"

Swaine blinked, standing there, watching them for a moment, once again wondering what had gotten into him. Did he really just dive into a stormy ocean just to save some kid? Something didn't make sense to him about the effect Oliver was having on him. The only thing that ran through his mind was that he wanted to help him, make sure nothing bad was going to happen to him...

...the same reason he was going to go see his brother in Hamelin.

_No, all you were doing was keeping the kid from drowning, _he told himself. _Not that big of deal. You are NOT going to get attached!_

He sat down on the sand by Esther, watching as Oliver came to... and couldn't help but feel relieved.

Deep down, he knew not getting attached to this kid was going to be impossible, if he didn't try.

0o0o0o0o0

A/N: I always wondered what exactly happened during the storm in the game. Sorry for the spoilers that were featured, I'll try to keep the rest low.

If anyone has any requests for a drabble, I'd like to hear it!

Reviews are welcome. Flamers will be shoved off a cliff.


	2. Father's Day

And here's a special little fic for you all. ^-^ Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ni No Kuni is owned by Studio Ghibli and Level-5.

0o0o0o0o0

It was a calm day in the town of Motorville, as Oliver, Esther, Swaine, and Mr. Drippy walked along the streets, the last three invisible to the town's locals, yet that didn't keep them from spending time with their wizard-friend. After saving the world, the group had been doing their own things in the other world- Oliver would go back to practice his magic, Esther would help her father at the babana stand if not going out to tame familiars, and Swaine helped Marcassin rule Hamelin. One day in June, when meeting up at the Porcine Palace to visit the princes, they decided to take a weekend off to hang out. Marcassin offered to stay behind to look after the kingdom, promising he'd catch up once he was sure everything was in order.

"I swear, ever since we mended his heart, my brother's practically been glued to the throne!" Swaine joked as he walked along. "I don't think he's taken any time off since the manna-incident!"

"Well, that just means he's a good ruler," Esther replied. "I would have thought you'd stick around with him,"

Swaine gave her a look. "What, and let you lot get in trouble? I just think my brother needs to take a vacation once in a while, it's not healthy working all the time you know."

"How would you know? You hardly work at all!"

"Oh, look who's talking-"

"Alright, you two, calm down. We came here to relax, remember?" Oliver spoke up, breaking up their arguement before it could go any further. "I'm sure Marcassin doesn't mind Swaine coming with us, and he said he'd hang out with us later. Plus, everything's okay back in your world, so there isn't really much to worry about."

Swaine gave Esther a smirk. "See? Oliver agrees with me!"

Esther crossed her arms. "Hmph. I think next time Marcassin should come along, and you can stay behind and take care of Hamelin." she retorted.

"Ain't there enough cities in ruin already?" Mr. Drippy joked, making the desert-girl bust out laughing, while Swaine came close to kicking him in front of an oncoming car.

"Oliver!" called a voice, interrupting the quarrel before it could begin. Up the sidewalk was Myrtle, Oliver's friend and Esther's soul-mate. She was carrying a small paper bag.

"Hi, Myrtle!" Oliver called, waving to her as he walked over, his friends following, unseen as always. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, good. I'm just doing some shopping. I'm going to buy a gift for my dad for Father's Day tomorrow. What are you up to?"

"Just hanging around." Oliver replied. "Is Phillip around?"

Myrtle shook her head. "No. He and his dad took off for the weekend, they're going to a Car Show. Hey, want to hang out later, if you're not busy?"

"Sure! That sounds great!"

"It sure does!" Esther added.

"She can't hear us, remember?" Swaine scoffed.

"Hmm? Did you hear something, Oliver?" Esther asked.

"Uh, no." Oliver said quickly, knowing that if he told anyone he was hanging out with invisible people from another world, word would get around that he was crazy.

"Huh. I keep hearing things... I guess it's just my imagination, everyone says I have a very active one." Myrtle replied with a shrug. She then looked at her watch. "Oh! I'd better get going! My break is almost over with, and I told Miss Leila I wouldn't be late! Bye, Oliver! See you later!" With that, she turned and took off down the sidewalk.

"Quite a hard worker, isn't she?" Mr. Drippy commented.

"Well, it's a good quality. I know I wouldn't want to be late to help my father at the babana-stand." Esther replied. "And it's nice that she's using her break to get her dad something for Father's Day, too."

"By th' way, what's this Father's Day business youer talkin' bout?"

"It's a day where everyone celebrates their father, buying them gifts or doing something special to show how much they love them." Oliver explained to the fairy.

"What, they don't do it every day?"

"Oh, of course! It's just, um, doing something extra special to show more appreciation. Kind of like a holiday," Oliver turned to Esther. "I didn't know you guys celebrate it, too."

"Oh yes, I'm sure both our worlds celebrate the same holidays: Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day..."

"Most of you do.." Swaine muttered, and Oliver just noticed their thief-friend had been quiet since Father's Day was brought up... and for good reasons.

Esther gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh, Swaine... I-I'm so sorry! I forgot-"

"Whatever. Lets just drop it and get going." With that, Swaine trudged ahead.

Esther hung her head low, walking. Oliver held her hand, giving her a reassuring look, a way of promising her things would be alright and not to let it bother her too much. There were times when Swaine would get aggravated, such as how he believed he was 'forced' to admit to being a prince (since Esther and Oliver refused to bring it up), but he always managed to cool down.

0o0o0o0o0

They walked past Oliver's old house. Since he was an orphan now, he had been staying with Miss Leila who (thankfully) never asked where he ran off to each day, believing he was old enough to wander around on his own and shouldn't be treated like a child- just as long as he was home by dinner and didn't stay out later than 9 on a school-night. (This rule was hard to keep, as he often lost track of time in the other world, and ended up having to visit it during the weekends or summer vacation, otherwise be sent to his room without dinner).

As they walked, the young wizard looked back at his old home, emitting a soft sigh, but continued on, not wanting to ruin the time he had planned with his friends. He lead them to a park where they sat by a pond, Mr. Drippy plopping down on a log by the bank and soaking his feet, becoming fascinated in some toy boats some kids were sailing in the water while Esther looked at the swans that floated by, strumming her harp in hopes that she could tame one to come close. Oliver was throwing pebbles in the water, until in a rippling reflection he noticed Swaine was just sitting under a tree, alone.

Normally, the young wizard would just leave him be- Swaine always liked to lounge by himself whenever they had some relaxation time. But he didn't look relaxed this time- there was a hint of grief in his eyes, as he just seemed to stare blankly into the distance. Something was clearly bothering him, and Oliver always found it in his heart to lend a hand in any way.

He walked over to the thief. Over time, he learned how to take a slow approach with Swaine, so not to upset him by accident. "Hey, Swaine?" Oliver said, trying not to sound awkward.

The thief either seemed lost in his thoughts, or was ignoring him.

The young wizard shifted a bit, but spoke again. "Swaine... um..."

"What the hell is it?" The thief sighed in aggravation.

Oliver rubbed his arm, having forgotten his friend hated it when he didn't cut to the point... Problem was, he didn't know how to cut to it without upsetting his friend more than he already was. Back in Hamelin, when they were sent back in time, he had tried to talk to Swaine two days after his father's death as the thief had locked himself in his room, but the thief only shouted at him to go away (Oliver quietly obliged, out of shock). He couldn't just say 'I know you're upset about your dad, but everything is okay now...' to him at this moment, without his friend blowing up at him.

So, he decided he would detour the subject. "There's a gun-shop in town... I was wondering if you'd like to go look at them?" Oliver asked instead, knowing Swaine's knack for gun-use, and figured he would be interested.

Swaine leaned back, looking back into the distance. "Maybe later."

"O-Okay... well, if you want to go anywhere... We're going to be walking around town, so..."

"Oliver, in case you can't tell, I'd like to be alone right now. Kindly beat it, won't you?"

The young wizard furrowed his eyebrows. "I know, and I also know the reason why... and believe it or not I understand-"

The thief turned, giving him a harsh look. "How would you know how I felt?"

He clenched his fists. "Because... you're not the only one of us who's orphaned..." he paused as Swaine gave him a stunned look, and he turned away and quickly added, "I'm sorry..." before the thief could shout at him, and began to walk off. "I'll leave you alone now-"

Swaine gripped him by the shoulder just then, keeping him from going any further. "Oh, no you don't- if you want to talk, we're going to talk." he said, his tone quiet. He looked over at the pond, where Drippy was now riding on one of the toy-boats and Esther was feeding a couple swans. The desert-girl looked over at them, and Swaine gave a fake grin and waved casually, which Esther exchanged before turning back to the swans. He then looked back at Oliver. "But we're talking somewhere out of earshot- bad enough one of you is on my case already."

Hand still on his shoulder, Swaine walked Oliver across the park until they were a good distance away from the pond, by some trees and shrubs. "I know you don't want to talk about it-" Oliver said, a bit nervous.

The thief scoffed. "I might as well. Knowing you, you won't stop fretting over me until I pour out my feelings and all that sissy stuff. So go ahead- say what you want, I'll respond, and we can get it over with,"

Oliver only gave him a look, then lowered his head. "I... I know you're upset... but you don't have to act like a jerk about it." he muttered bitterly. "I tried to avoid bringing it up, so you wouldn't get upset like you are now, but you were acting like you didn't care at all and... it just slipped out. I didn't want to make you mad..." he looked back up at him, wincing. "But I do understand. When my mom died, I stayed in my room for three days- probably longer if Mr. Drippy didn't come to life. But I learned to move on... I just knew hiding it wouldn't help the hurt go away."

Swaine was quiet for a moment, leaning against a tree as he listened to Oliver, waiting for him to continue.

"So... so when you were sitting over there... even when you locked yourself in your room in Hamelin... I wanted to help, because... I don't want you to feel the way I did- not anymore."

They stood there for a moment in silence, the only sound being a few birds in the trees or chattering of squirrels that scurried by. Swaine finally nodded. "Alright... I'm sorry." he said.

Oliver looked at him. "Huh?"

"I forgot what you've been through. I just hate it when someone brings it up, trying to be sympathetic, as if they're taking pity on me... But, you happen to understand. I know I need to move on, it's just... kind of hard, and I don't want to be forced to do it. Waking up one day and realizing you're an orphan... you know what it's like."

Oliver nodded. "I understand, Swaine... but... it's alright now. You and Marcassin are working great together, ruling Hamelin- your father must be proud. It still hurts, missing him... I still miss my mom... but I know things are okay now, and she's always watching over me. I know you can move on too- when you're ready,"

Swaine shrugged. "I guess... Heh, your mom's lucky she didn't have a stubborn son. Your old man was probably lucky he married a woman who knew how to raise their kid!"

Oliver paused, sitting down on the grass, quiet for a moment.

The thief froze. "Damn... what did I say?"

"I... I never knew my dad."

Swaine mentally kicked himself. "Sorry... I-I didn't know..."

"It's okay... I kind of forgot about it until now. One time, when I was little, I asked my mom where he was, when I started to notice I was the only kid in the neighborhood with one parent. She told me that, when I was a baby, he went away... but never came back. She started to cry, so I decided to never ask about him again." He looked over, towards the pond, where Mr. Drippy was still riding on a boat while Esther giggled and watched. "I don't know whether he died, or just... walked out on us."

Swaine sat down across from him. "Any dad who would walk out on a woman like your mother, and a son like you, must be the dumbest man alive." he said, trying to comfort him. Oliver didn't respond, so he decided to alter the subject. "Well... if it evens things out... I didn't know my mother that well, either,"

Oliver looked at him- he never really thought about the fact that Swaine didn't have a mother, either. "What happened to her... i-if you don't mind me asking."

"She got sick when I was three. She couldn't get out of bed, and she kept falling asleep for long periods of time. My father went out to gather ingredients for a cure... but by the time he returned, it was too late. I didn't really understand it at first- to me, I just thought my mom was just sleeping and couldn't wake up. I didn't realize she was gone forever until I asked my father when she would be back..." he winced. "...and he said she wasn't..." he shook his head. "Well... you know."

"Gosh... I'm sorry. How did Marcassin take it?"

"He was just a baby at the time, being raised by nursemaids like I was. He didn't ask about our mom until we came across a portrait of her, and asked me what happened to her. ...It was the last time I ever spoke of her, and I had him promise not to bring it up ever again." he let out a heavy sigh. "It just really hurt all of us..."

"I know... but the pain goes away in time..." Oliver stood up, offering his hand. "It's starting to show, too."

Swaine arched an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?"

"Well, the Swaine I first met wouldn't have opened up so much... I think that's a big step in moving on. You've gotten better... and I know you'll keep getting better."

He gave a short chuckle. "You think so?"

"I know so. You're a great guy, Swaine... and... you're like family to me, and I believe in you."

_This kid can really give a speech, can't he? _the thief thought, but grinned, taking Oliver's hand and standing up, looking at the young wizard, one hand on his hip, and giving a soft chuckle. "You really can see the good in anyone, can't you? ...I guess it didn't take long to see the goodness in me," he boasted.

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head. Swaine always had a smart-remark- which was a good sign that he wasn't upset anymore.

Swaine smiled softly, tussling his hair. "But, as long as we're stuck in a tender moment, I have to admit... you make a pretty good little brother for Marcassin... and me."

Oliver smiled, then hugged him tight.

_O-kay, I think he's taking it a bit too far... _Swaine thought, awkwardly. He looked around, making sure no one was watching- then again, he was invisible to other people, and he hadn't heard Esther or Mr. Drippy calling for them which probably meant they were still by the pond. He looked down at Oliver, who still had his arms around him, and softened a bit. _Well, he probably won't let go until I do something, so..._

Oliver squeezed Swaine gently, feeling the thief wrap an arm around his shoulders, the other arm slowly patting him on the back. "O-Okay, that's enough..." Swaine said with a chuckle, pulling away, and looking around. "Alright... don't tell anyone about this, got it? I don't want that blasted fairy of yours going around telling everyone we're a pair of pansies."

Oliver laughed. "Don't worry," he promised, and they walked back towards the pond.

"So, how about we visit that gun shop you told me about?"

"Okay, I'll tell-" They paused after a few feet, noticing something out of place. "Hey... where's Esther?"

0o0o0o0o0

Esther had been watching Drippy ride around on a toy boat, when she noticed Swaine and Oliver weren't around. She spotted them up a hill, talking about something... looking upset. Wondering what was going on, she quietly walked over, ducking behind a tree, hearing about the stories of their lost parents, watching as a tender moment unfolded.

She smiled softly, glad to see Swaine was starting to open up a little more. _Leave it to Oliver to help Swaine move on... _she thought.

Like her friends, she too promised not to say a word.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: This is another idea that hit me in the late hours of the night. The last scene is actually based on a fan-art picture I drew (Esther watching from behind a tree and all lol). Hope you guys liked it!

Please review. No flames, I have Swaine's gun! (...I just have to return it before he notices it's gone)


	3. Of Birds and Bees

And here's a mini crack-drabble, and the first time I put Swaine in an awkward situation XD

Going to be more humorous than fluffy... and you have to admit you do have to imagine he would have to do something like this someday lol.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. ...Knock it off with the victory-dance, Swaine.

0o0o0o0o0

It was something that he never really thought much about, until he found himself getting interested in girls.

Well... more like Phillip got him interested.

Oliver and his friend were sitting outside the garage, sipping sodas as they took a break from working on a new car. Phillip was watching some young teenage girls walk by every few minutes, smirking. "I'd say she's an 8... she's a 6... and she's a 9," he said, referring to three girls who walked by.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Oliver asked, curiously.

"Girls, Ollie! Sheesh, don't tell me you didn't find those three ladies attractive!"

"Oh, uh, yeah I think they're pretty."

"Pretty? Are you kidding? They were smoking hot! ...Aren't you interested in girls, yet?"

Oliver blushed, embarrassed. He did find some girls likeable, like Myrtle and Esther, but wasn't really 'interested' in them like Phillip was implying... in fact, he didn't exactly KNOW what he was implying- well, he sort of knew, but wasn't familiar with that kind of subject.

"Yeah, of course I am!" Oliver said quickly. "It's just... I don't care much about their looks is all."

"Boy, are you going to be stuck with weird prom-dates in the future... Next thing I know, you'll be telling me you don't know how dates work!"

_Dates? _Oliver thought, blushing again. "Uh, right... lets get back to work on the car," he suggested.

"Yeah, good idea... but man, Ollie, I hope you learn more about women, that way you'll know how to satisfy them!"

_What is he talking about? _Oliver wondered, but pushed the thought aside for later, as they continued to work on their car.

0o0o0o0o0

Later that afternoon, when they decided to call it a day, Oliver decided to visit the other world... mostly in need of a little wisdom. The comments Phillip made that day stuck to his mind, and he needed help understanding them. His mother had never talked to him about this sort of thing; he couldn't ask Phillip about it without getting harassed; and surely it would be inappropriate to ask Miss Leila or Myrtle about it!

Perhaps one of his other friends could help. Of course, this excluded Esther- he didn't want to say the wrong thing and offend her; Marcassin probably had enough on his mind as he was ruling Hamelin; Rashaad would probably have answers- but would probably think Oliver wanted to ask his daughter out and get mad; Kublai probably knew quite a bit... but Oliver had a feeling asking the pirate would give him more information than he wanted to hear; Sinbahd... probably the same as Kublai; King Tom probably had a different kind of description, considering he was a humanoid cat; and Mr. Drippy would no doubt freak out about it ("Ya already know where littlies come from! What more do ya need to know, mun?!" he would probably say).

That left only one other possible candidate.

Yep.

Swaine- the cynical thief.

Of course, Oliver didn't know whether he should ask Swaine about such a sensitive subject. For one thing, the thief wasn't exactly one for long discussions, and his constant attitude made it hard for anyone to open up to him. Chances were, he would snap at Oliver for asking him about it.

On the other hand, he was the second oldest member of the group (the first being Mr. Drippy), and had spent a large amount of his life travelling, so maybe he knew something. Plus, as close as friends as they all were, he was a better option as he spent a lot of time with them on their travels, and grew to confide in them.

Still... Swaine? Was the young wizard- who took down the Dark Djinn and White Witch- that desperate for advice?

Apparently, yes, as Oliver looked around for him in the other world, learning he, Esther, and Marcassin were visiting Castaway Cove. He Fast Travelled there and changed into a bathing suit (village regulations required so), and found two of his friends lounging by the docks. "Oliver!" Esther exclaimed, running over to him once she noticed him. "What brings you by?"

"Does he really need a reason to come visit his best friend?" Swaine remarked, grinning- obviously he was referring to himself.

"No- I guess he never needs a reason to come see me."

Swaine gave her a look.

Esther grabbed Oliver's hand, pulling him over to the end of the dock. "So, what have you've been up to?"

Oliver, however, couldn't reply just yet. Ever since Phillip brought up being 'interested in girls', the young wizard suddenly got a different perspective on things... which he didn't realize until Esther held his hand, and it didn't help that she was standing next to him in a swim-suit. "Um... I-I had a question for Swaine," he replied, his cheeks flushing as he felt his heart-rate pick up speed.

The two friends gave him a curious look. "Okay... so what's the question?" Swaine asked.

"Um... I forgot..."

Esther gave him a concerned look. "Oliver, are you alright? You seem pale... and you're sweating a lot!" she let go of her hand, and felt his cheek. "You're not getting sick, are you?"

"Uh... um... er... uuuuggghhh..."

*Thud!*

Oliver passed out on the dock from the feel of her touch. By this time, Marcassin was coming by. "I spoke with the sailors, Swaine, and they said they would deliver the shipment for-" he was saying, but paused when he noticed Oliver unconcious. "Oh my gosh! Is he alright? What happened?"

"No clue. He just said he had a question for me, forgot, and hit the deck when Esther touched his face!" Swaine replied.

"He was getting all sweaty, and was turning pale too... do you suppose he's sick?" Esther asked, worried.

"Lets take him to the Cat's Cradle, and call a doctor." Marcassin suggested.

0o0o0o0o0

After a quick examination, the doctor said Oliver was fine, probably just suffering from a little heat-stroke, and advised he keep out of the sun for a few hours and drink plenty of water. Oliver sat in his room, feeling ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated, and every other word that would match the category than involved making a fool of himself. Thus the reason why he told his friends he was going to lay down for a while, so not to go through such a scene again until he could figure out what the heck was going on with himself.

There was a knock on his door just then, interrupting his moment of self-pity. "Come in," he said.

Swaine walked into the room, carrying a couple bottles of water. "Hey, just came by to check on you. You've been pretty quiet since the doctor left," he replied, handing him a bottle. "Care to explain why you're acting so funny?"

Oliver shifted, rubbing his arm. "Um... yeah... i-it actually involves my question for you," he replied, sheepishly.

"Well, don't hesitate. Go ahead and ask away, it's just you and me here." Swaine scoffed, taking a sip from his water bottle.

Oliver took in a deep breath, completely nervous, but there was no turning back now, so he just blurted it out. "Do you know anything about dating girls and... um... satisfying them?"

Swaine spewed his water out barely half a second after Oliver asked, choking a bit and gasping for air while holding his hand over his heart. "W... _WHAT_?" he yelled, completely shocked. He was expecting a question about maybe his past, or how to handle a gun, but not that! "Why would you ask me that?!"

Oliver bit his lip, gripping his water-bottle tight, feeling more ashamed than he was before. "I just... I want to know." he then explained how Phillip was rating girls by numbers, how he was teasing Oliver about whether or not he was interested in them, and how he was feeling like an idiot because he was confused.

Swaine nodded, taking in a deep breath. "Well... I figured someday we'd have to tell you." he sat down on the bed next to Oliver. "I remember being at that age too, wanting to learn everything there was about getting together with someone of the opposite sex. My dad actually gave me the talk when I was nine," he cleared his throat. "But, I think your friend Phillip is the one that's confused. Sure, it's alright to look at women, find them attractive... but you have to learn how to respect them, too, which means 'satisfying' them should wait."

"But... I want to satisfy them,"

Swaine's eyes widened. "What?!"

"I mean, that's important, isn't it? If I date a girl, I should make sure she's happy, right? Satisfy her with gifts and compliments?"

"O-Oh! ...Um, Oliver, I think Phillip was talking about a different kind of 'satisfaction'..."

"What's that?"

_Anytime someone wanted to walk in and shoot me, that would be great. _Swaine thought, face-palming. Why did HE have to be the one telling Oliver this? "Okay, let me explain... when a man and a woman love each other very much..."

_15 minutes later..._

"...and that's where babies come from." Swaine finished.

Oliver sat there, wide-eyed. "Um... jeepers. And that all comes from dating?" he asked.

"Uh, in most cases, but I suggest waiting until marriage. Believe me, I've met a few guys in my life who've had kids- but with several different women. It never works out."

"Okay..."

"So... why did you want to ask ME about this, again?"

The young wizard shrugged. "I just... thought you'd know about it, and would be easier to talk to."

The thief paused. "...Oh. Well... um... good talk then, right?"

"Yeah... but... what am I going to do about girls, now? After Phillip brought it up, I feel uncomfortable around them now!"

"I figured that after remembering how you fainted on the docks. Trust me, Oliver, you'll get over it. It seems new now, but you'll get the hang of the emotions... But, um, unless you want to end up getting cursed by Rashaad, I'd hold back on asking out Esther."

"I don't want to ask her out! I just... I'm new at this, okay?"

Swaine patted him on the back. "Alright, alright. Like I said, you'll get used to it."

Oliver nodded. "Okay... Oh! I need to get home! I told Miss Leila I wouldn't be out past nine!"

"Okay- see you later!" Swaine said, waving goodbye as Oliver cast Gateway and headed home. Once he was gone, the thief let out a groan and rubbed his face. "Ugh, I hope I never have to go through THAT again..."

"Go through what?" Marcassin asked, entering the room.

"Oh, I just had to tell Oliver about 'the birds and the bees'. Poor kid didn't have a clue,"

"Oh... so you know about that?"

Swaine arched an eyebrow. "Yeah... why do you ask?"

"Well... I don't know about it either. Could you explain it to me?"

The thief slapped his forehead, collapsing on the bed. _Why me? _he thought as he groaned.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: God forbid Esther is next... XD Yeah, ever since the scene after Prince Ali and Yasmine reunite and Oliver is quizzical about Drippy claiming they probably want some 'alone time', I had to picture what it would be like if someone had give him 'the talk'... and I picked Swaine just to mess with him a bit.

So yeah, pretty cracky, but fun to write. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a certain thief I have to outrun! *flees*

Please review, but don't flame (and put away the gun, Swaine!)


	4. Despair

And here's another drabble for you guys! And heads up- SPOILERS! (for those of you who haven't gotten to the Vileheart boss).

Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing... confound it...

0o0o0o0o0

It was a tough battle, but they managed to defeat Vileheart, watching as the orb that held Alicia was dropped. "You did it, Oliver!" Esther cheered. "Now you can release Alicia!"

"Mom..." Oliver said quietly, a smile forming on his lips. Such a sight brought warmth in the thief's heart.

"This is it, Oliver. Your big moment," Swaine said, lying a hand on Oliver's shoulder. The young wizard gave him a nod, then walked over to the orb, and he watched with pride as Oliver went to fulfill the task he so long waited for...

But his pride vanished the moment Oliver picked up the orb. There was a bright flash of light that lasted up to 20 seconds or more, momentarily blinding them. When it faded, they gasped, seeing a dark cloud covering Oliver's head. "It was a trap! He's cursed!" Esther gasped.

They ran over to the wizard's aid, but before they could do anything, there were sounds of creatures drawing near. "Damn!" Swaine cursed, then took out some Curse-Be-Gone, using it to clear the cloud surrounding Oliver's head quick, then picked him up and started running when a trio of Shrimpalers started coming their way. "C'mon! We have to get out of here!"

"Right behind ya!" Mr. Drippy shouted as he and Esther ran with the thief through the Miasma Marshes, careful not to run into any poisoned pools, avoiding the creatures that lurked in the area.

_Don't worry, I've gotcha... it'll be alright... we'll save you... just hang in there! _Swaine thought as he held Oliver tight, running through the hills until they managed to reach Perdida. They ran to the sage, Khulan, out of breath and teary eyed. "Khulan!" he shouted.

The ex-queen of Xanadu turned around, stunned to see the condition they were in. "What happened?" she gasped.

"V-Vileheart... there was a trap... Oliver..." Esther choked out, but could hardly speak.

"Oliver got cursed." Swaine answered, out of breath. "We gave him a potion, but... he's still out-cold. Is there anything you can do to help?"

"I will try my best." Khulan answered, and they followed her into her temple, lying Oliver down on a medical table as the sage examined him. She tried her best spells, used a Phoenix Feather, Phoenix Tonic, and Sage's Secret... but nothing seemed to snap Oliver out of his coma. "It appears this is more than the work of a curse... What exactly happened?"

"We defeated a monster, Vileheart, and he dropped the orb containing Alicia... or, at least that's what we thought it was," Esther explained. "There was a flash of light... and suddenly, Oliver was on the ground, cursed."

Khulan shook her head. "Vileheart is a demon of despair, and a close ally of Shadar. He must have done something to cause a grief so heavy on Oliver, that he's lost in despair within his mind."

"But, there's something you can do, right?" Swaine asked, desperation in his voice. "If you have to perform another ritual, we'll help in whatever way we can!"

Khulan sighed. "I'm sorry. There isn't anything I can do... our only hope is that Oliver's heart will help him pull through, and he'll break himself out of this spell."

Esther began to sob, clinging on to Swaine's sleeve as she did, while the thief stared at the ground.

How could this happen? After all they've been through, after they've come so close! Now their friend, who could pull them out of any situation, was lost in a realm of unconciousness, despair having latched onto him so tight that he couldn't bother to wake up.

Automatically, Swaine carried Oliver out of the temple, Esther and Mr. Drippy solemnly following. An old woman they had helped out offered to let them stay in her home, and he lied Oliver on the bed. Mr. Drippy stood at his bedside- despite how annoying the thief believed the fairy to be, the Lord High Lord of the Fairies was quite loyal to the young wizard. Esther sat on the end of the bed, holding Oliver's hand, tears running down her face.

Swaine only stood there, looking at the scene, until he couldn't take it anymore and walked out, going out of the city and standing on the hill, looking out at the sunrise. It was a beautiful sight that didn't match the situation at all... rather, it made the thief sick.

He stood out there for an hour...

The next day, he stood out there for five hours...

With each day that passed, he stayed out there longer, until he was standing out there for more than half a day. Every time, he left the house... and every time, he returned only to see Oliver was still unconcious.

_Why did it have to happen to Oliver? _he thought bitterly, after five days had passed and the young wizard still hadn't recovered. _All he wanted to do was help his mom... he didn't do anything wrong! He doesn't deserve this! Damn that Vileheart! Damn that Shadar! Damn them to...!_

He growled in frustration. How badly he wanted to go back to the Miasma Marshes and punch Shadar in that hooded face of his! ...But, he couldn't. Oliver was the only one strong enough to defeat him, and Swaine... he was just a thief. He unleashed a heavy sigh, looking out at the hills. The sun had gone down, and the moon was now rising, so the thief decided to head back in.

Esther was lying on the ground, tear-stains on her face, while Mr. Drippy snored sofly beside her. Swaine walked past them quietly, pulling a small stool next to the bed, looking down at the ground. He did this every night, yet dared not look at Oliver. Too much guilt weighed upon him already- looking at his unconcious friend would only make it worse. Usually when he looked at Oliver, there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, which could lift anyone's spirit... but not now. His eyes were shut, and he lay still... it was almost as if he were dead.

_No... don't think that! Don't ever think that again! _Swaine scolded himself, wincing. _Oliver will pull through, he can make it through anything! He just... _He sighed, shaking his head, feeling useless.

That was all he felt like. Useless. He didn't know any magic... all he knew was how to use those potions Oliver carried with them in case of emergencies. Other than that, all he knew was how to shoot, steal, and use his gun to open up chests. Oliver knew much more- and he came from a world without magic! All he needed was to set his heart on a task and anything was possible!

"I'm sorry..." Swaine said quietly to him, without looking up. "We were so close... then this happened to you... and there's nothing I can do to help. If there was a cure, I'd do anything to find it- steal it, even! I'd risk getting heartbroken again, if it would just help you wake up..."

He covered his face with his hands, holding in tears. His words felt empty, despite he was sincere. When it came to those he cared about, he'd risk anything... but he never got the chance. When Marcassin needed him, he had ran away for 15 years... and when he finally returned, he wasn't much help- Oliver was the one who saved him and helped him believe again. The only time Swaine was ever any help was when carving holes into the Clarion while Marcassin performed his magic on it. But that was all- his brother had been left alone for 15 years, had to rule Hamelin on his own, and Swaine was barely around. Oliver was the one who was more deserving to be his brother... he was always there when his friends needed him...

And now he needed them... but there was nothing they could do.

"I'm the one who should be cursed," Swaine whispered. "First, I couldn't help my brother... and now I can't help you..." he rested a hand on the bed, realizing he had lied it on top of Oliver's, which brought him to look at his friend... and he bit his lip, tears forming in his eyes.

It hurt inside... like it did when his father died.

The tears streamed from his eyes, as he gripped Oliver's hand, sobbing. "I'm sorry!" he choked out, covering his face with his other hand as he cried. "I don't know what to do... you were always there for me... for my brother, and now... dammit!"

He felt one of Oliver's fingers twitch just then, and he gasped, looking up. The boy emitted a soft moan, but remained still.

Swaine breathed, looking down at the floor. He then used both his hands to hold Oliver's, looking at the wizard, wondering what he would do if Swaine or any of their friends were in his place. He wouldn't give up, that's for sure- cry, yes, but he'd still stick by their side, looking for a cure... or just being there as always, hoping and praying they'd come through.

_And being there for him will bring him back, will it? _Swaine questioned to himself, as it sounded ridiculous... but looking at Oliver, such hope was possible. He held his hand tight, lifting it while bowing his head, his forehead touching his knuckle. _Please, God, help him pull through... You know he's a good kid and deserves better... I ask for nothing else... just bring us our friend back... bring my little brother back..._

He paused, wondering where in the world that last thought came from... but didn't ponder it to long. Secretly, Oliver was like another little brother to him. When he first joined them on their quest, he didn't count on getting attached to him or Esther, but after the events in Hamelin, they all grew close (Mr. Drippy was still a long-shot). He got along best with Oliver, though- he never argued with him like he did with Esther, or wanted to punch him in the face like Mr. Drippy. No, he was a good kid- even kept his mouth shut about the thief being a prince, so not to hurt him.

Swaine slowly let go of Oliver's hand, folding his arms on the bed and lying his head down, fatigue coming over him. _I may not have been much help in the past... but I'll stick around for you, like you've done for me. _he thought, slowly drifting to sleep.

He knew he would just walk out to clear his head tomorrow, as he did everyday... but he would still come back. As long as a brother of his needed him, he'd come back.

0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Sad, but cute, right? ...Ah, I'm writing this at 6 AM, so sorry for any sloppiness, but this kind of scene kept playing in my head and I knew I wouldn't get any sleep until it was written down. I was actually inspired after reading a fic, _The Swine Prince._ Hope you enjoyed!

Please review. No flames or I'll send Shadar after you! (It's amazing the kind of favors he'll do to avoid being harassed in fanfiction XD)


	5. Some Special Treatment

Here's a new installment for our little drabble series, here.

This one is based off one of the suggestions sent by **Mike AZ 2. **Thanks again, man! Glad you're enjoying the story!

And I hope you all enjoy this next one-shot, as well! (Also, it still includes spoilers- though since I've said that in the last four chapters, I think everyone's got the message)

Disclaimer: I don't own Ni No Kuni... not even the game... or a PS3... life is cruel.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Rolling Hills were warm and windy, as Oliver, Esther and Mr. Drippy walked along the plains. "Do you see him anywhere?" Oliver asked.

"No... it's not like him to be gone too long when scouting ahead," Esther replied. "Maybe we shouldn't have let him go..."

Oliver only nodded. "We'll find him. He couldn't have gone too far,"

The group had been on their way to Ding Dong Dell, to take the Holy Wood to King Tom in order to carve the Clarion, when the two kids at noticed a slight limp in Swaine's step, after fighting a couple creatures in the desert. Both of them wished they had drank a little more coffee or rested longer, as they were low on magic during the time, just so they could heal their friend and Fast Travel to their destination.

But the thief had assured them he was fine, that his leg was just sore from walking so much. "I'll scout ahead and prove it," he included. "You two rest and get your magic built back up, I'll be back in ten minutes."

Ten minutes had passed... then twenty... and they decided to go looking for him before another second could go by.

"Where th' flip did ol' Thief-Face head to?" Mr. Drippy wondered aloud as they walked. "Last I checked, scoutin' ahead didn't mean travellin' to th' ends of th' earth!"

"You don't think something bad happened to him, do you?" Esther asked, growing more worried by the minute.

"AAGGHH!" came a shout from over a hill, belonging to Swaine!

"Sounds like it!" Mr. Drippy replied.

"C'mon!" Oliver said, and they hurried over the hill, stopping at the edge of a ditch...

And seeing the biggest ulk they've ever laid eyes on. The beast let out a roar, charging at something lying on the ground... to their horror, it was their thieving friend.

Without hesitation, Oliver summoned Mitey to fend off the beast, while Esther summoned Gogo. The giant ulk wasn't like any others- while most ulk were peaceful, this one was ferocious, charging at them, trying to ram them with its horns, grunting and kicking its hooves, barely giving them a chance to defend! "Flippin' heck! This is one tough ulk!" Mr. Drippy cried out.

The rogue ulk let out another roar, charging at them once more. Oliver pulled Esther out of the way, causing the beast to slam its antlers into a tree. The young wizard turned and looked at Swaine, still on the ground. "Esther, go take care of Swaine!" he said. "Get him out of here!"

"What about you? That ulk could kill you!" Esther replied, while backing towards Swaine.

"I'll be fine, I can heal myself. Just go help him!"

Esther nodded, summoning Gogo back, then turned and ran to the thief. By this time the ulk managed to get its antlers unstuck, and charged towards the wizard, who had Mitey cut-loose, causing green-and-blue glims to bounce of the creature, collecting them as he ran around it to avoid getting charged at.

Mitey managed to get a golden glim, using his Slash Dance technique and doing major damage to the beast. He unleashed a few more beatings, finally finishing it off and having it disappear in a puff of smoke. Oliver sighed with relief, then turned towards his friends, seeing Esther had managed to get Swaine to sit up.

The thief looked worse up close, covered in scratches and bruises, his gun practically dismantled. "Poor rotter must've ran into that thing an' got caught in a fight," the Lord High Lord of the Fairies stated.

"But why didn't he just run away, and come back to us?" Esther questioned, wincing as she looked through her pack for healing items. "He should've known that thing would be too strong to take out on his own- Oliver even had trouble with it!"

"He probably couldn't get away," Oliver replied. "That thing was pretty wild- it would probably chase him back to us," he held up his wand. "Luckily, I managed to gain enough glims to heal him up a bit,"

"A bit?" Esther shook her head. "Oliver, look at him!" she dug deeper into the pack, sighing heavily. "Great... We're going to need more healing supplies. Do you have enough magic for Fast Travel?"

Oliver shook his head, then remembered something. "Wait... Tengri! We can call him!"

"Why didn't we flippin' think of that before?!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed. "Could've avoided this whole situation, mun!"

Oliver cringed, embarrassed to admit that, after their flight to Al Mamoon, he let Tengri rest by the springs... but had forgotten about him after they left, too focused on getting the Holy Wood to Ding Dong Dell. He dug into his pack, taking out the dragon horn and calling Tengri.

Within seconds, the dragon swooped down- apparently, no matter where they went, the dragon always followed. He and Esther draped Swaine's arms around their shoulders, pulling him onto the dragon's back. "Tengri, can you take us to Ding Dong Dell?" Esther asked.

"Kyah!" was the dragon's reply, and they took to the air, soaring to the kingdom.

As they flew, Oliver held up his wand, deciding to use a Healing Touch on Swaine, until they could get some more healing supplies. A blue light swirled around him, making a few scratches disappear, but the thief was still in bad shape. Luckily, he was coming to. "Ugh... anyone get the number of that ulk that just hit me...?" he groaned, rubbing his head. He then noticed he was flying on Tengri with the others. "Huh? When did you lot get here?"

"We came looking for you when you didn't come back," Oliver told him.

"Swaine, what happened back there? That ulk nearly killed you!" Esther stated.

"I was walking up the hill and... um... fell down the ditch," he replied, muttering that last part as quietly as possible. "That's when that beast came running at me, I barely had time to whip out Gunthur! ...ow..." he lied his head back down, his body aching.

"Take it easy, mun. We'll be in Ding Dong Dell to get ya patched up, in no time!" Mr. Drippy stated.

Swaine only nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They reached Ding Dong Dell by late afternoon, deciding first to check into the Cat's Cradle to get some rest... especially since Swaine's limp was worse than before. "Seriously, guys, I'm fine. Lets go see King Tom and get the Clarion carved, alright?" he assured, a bit annoyed.

"Not in the state you're in, we're not." Esther replied, firmly. "Besides, it's already getting late, and we need to go get some supplies before the shops close, anyway. Plus, we've all had a long hike and need to store up our magic."

"Esther's right. Lets get some rest first, and we can see King Tom first thing in the morning," Oliver replied.

Swaine sighed heavily, but followed them, limping along as he did. "Oi, mun, ya sure youe're alright? Youer limpin' like an old codger, you are!" Mr. Drippy stated.

The thief gave the fairy a death-glare. "I'm. FINE." he groused, storming ahead, biting his lip to ignore the pain in his leg.

Mr. Drippy crossed his arms. "Grouchy like one too..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They booked a room at the Cat's Cradle minutes later. Esther decided to go buy some supplies, Mr. Drippy tagging along with her, while Oliver sat in the room. Swaine had decided to go take a bath, wanting to get a little relaxation in 'before the next disaster hit'.

Oliver sat on one of the beds, alone with his thoughts. Why did he just let Swaine go off on his own like that? Sure, he knew the thief would remark that he could do well on himself- having been travelling the world alone since he was Oliver's age- but he couldn't shake the feeling that, if he had said or done something to prevent the situation, his friend wouldn't have been injured so badly.

_Well, at least we managed to find him in time, _the young wizard assured himself. _And after we get some rest, he'll be better in the morning._

The bathroom door opened and Swaine walked out, having changed into some pyjamas. There was still a limp in his step, and Oliver could tell he was clenching his teeth the way his jaw tensed, as if the pain was worse than before. The thief lied down on the other bed, leaning back slowly, and emitting a heavy sigh once his head was on a pillow. "What a day..." he said as he sighed, draping one arm over his eyes, ready to drift to sleep.

Oliver decided to look through his pack, to see if he had anything to heal his friend- he'd be content with a loaf of bread, at least! But, they had gone through their supplies, having only a few booster-shots and some spare shadow-glass handy, meaning he would have to wait for Esther to get back. It wasn't too bad, though- Swaine would probably be more willing to let them help after he got some rest, anyway, having always claimed he was tough enough to handle any damage (excluding battles where his health was dropping, and they had to rely on Esther's harp or green glims to stay alive).

He decided to take out his Wizard's Companion and read instead, finding it had a chapter describing the fierce ulk they had faced that day, and was soon sucked into the story- as what normally happened whenever he had time to read, the tales and information that the book held never ceasing to fascinate him.

*thud!*

"Dammit!"

Oliver looked up from his book, seeing Swaine on his hands and knees on the floor, gritting his teeth. "Swaine!" he gasped, rushing to his aid and helping him stand up and sit on the bed. "What happened?"

"It's nothing! My leg just... fell asleep, I think." Swaine answered.

Oliver looked down at his leg, arching an eyebrow. "Roll up your pantleg, a minute..." The thief sighed but obeyed, and the young wizard looked at it, his eyes widening. "Swaine, it's swollen and... it looks purple!"

"What?" Swaine lifted his foot, grunting a bit from the pain, and saw that the wizard was right. "It wasn't that color before..."

"What exactly happened to it?"

"I... I must've twisted it after falling down that ditch,"

"I'm back!" Esther called, entering the room with grocery bags full of supplies... which she nearly dropped. "Swaine! Oh my gosh, what happened to your foot?!"

Swaine quickly lowered his foot. "I-It's okay! Just a little swollen, nothing to worry about..." he replied.

"Nothin' to worry about?! Flippin' heck, mun! It's the same colour as Tengri!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed. "No wonder ya were limpin' around, like!"

"Thank goodness I got some supplies," Esther said, sorting through the bags of supplies for some healing items.

Oliver looked through his wizard's companion, looking through some alchemy ingredients. "I wonder if we can make something..." he was saying to himself, then pulled out his cauldron, summoning Al-Khemi.

"I heard everything, my young master. What is your thieving-friend in need of?" Al asked.

"We need to make an ice-pack," Oliver handed Esther a list of ingredients, and she gathered them from their supplies.

"As you wish!" Al threw the ingredients into his cauldron, shaking it up.

"Really guys, it's not that big a deal!" Swaine scoffed, wishing they wouldn't make such a fuss. "I'm sure it'll have gone down by mor- AUGH!"

The moment the ice-pack was made, Al slapped it onto his ankle. "There! That should help with the swelling!"

"That'll be all, Al. Thank you," Oliver replied.

Swaine gritted his teeth from the coldness of the ice-pack. "Couldn't you have just used Healing Touch, or had Esther play her harp, or something?!" he demanded.

"We don't have enough magic yet." Esther replied, then took out some bandages from the grocery bag, using some to keep the ice-pack in place, and wrapping some around any scratches that hadn't been healed. "So until then, we're going to take care of you,"

Swaine grumbled, crossing his arms. "It would be easier if you guys just drank some coffee,"

"Oh, stop being so stubborn! If you hadn't tried walking around with that limp, your foot wouldn't be this bad!"

"You guys still don't have to take care of me like I'm some helpless child, though!"

"Well... you would do the same if one of us were injured, wouldn't you?" Oliver brought up. "It's what friends do,"

Swaine sighed, leaning back. "Yeah... fine."

Once they took care of the thief's wounds and made sure he was comfortable, everyone decided to turn in for the night. Oliver, Esther, and Mr. Drippy all decided to share one bed, so that he would have plenty of room, and not risk upsetting his bad-leg. Within minutes, the kids and fairy had drifted asleep.

Swaine looked over at them, smiling a bit, folding his arms behind his head and drifting off, secretly thankful his friends cared so much about him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Swaine, you should consider yourself lucky.

Please review, no flames, and the next drabble will be up soon!


	6. Coldness and Comfort

You know... at the rate these ideas pile in, it's a surprise my brain can manage it all.

Well, this particular idea came to me out of nowhere. Going to be AU, some characters may be OOC, and it is going to be extremely fluffy near the end. ...Enjoy anyway!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Ni No Kuni, otherwise there would be a lot more tender-moments in the game. ...particularly targetted towards Swaine. (run, thief, run!)

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was a confusing experience... which lead to a tragedy.

One moment, they were entering a fog, suddenly finding themselves back in time, once they learned they were standing before the old Emperor of Hamelin- Swaine pointing it out first, though it made the others wonder how he could have figured it out so quickly.

During their quest in finding Mornstar, a wand powerful enough to defeat Shadar and help them learn how to get back to their own time, it all became clear... after the Emperor died.

It was heartbreaking, as he had two sons- the oldest having run away, promising the youngest he would come back. Oh, how the young prince Marcassin wished his older brother, Gascon, was around during that moment, when he had to watch his father die, whispering something to one of the strangers that went to his aid...

What he didn't figure out was that his older brother had returned... and also had to watch their father die. It was hard to figure out because he was older, having come from the future, his looks having changed. No, all he saw was a stranger who was grieving over his father- even calling him his own, yet the young prince was too grief-stricken to think about it, instead clinging to the girl who travelled with them, crying.

These thoughts went through Oliver's mind, as he watched the guards come into the royal chambers, shocked to find their ruler dead by the hands of Shadar. The late-ruler of Hamelin was taken away, placed in a casket to be placed in the family tomb by the next morning.

After that, Swaine had entered a vacant room, locking the door, and staying in there. Meanwhile, the others were trying to cope with the fact that their thieving-friend was actually a long-lost prince. They wanted to ask why he never said anything before, even though there had been clues: he knew a lot about Hamelin, had a connection to Marcassin, and even dropped a hint or two when speaking to the Emperor or his past self, Gascon. ...But, they couldn't bring it up now, not with the despair he was in.

Instead, they stuck around the palace, waiting until their friend was ready to come out so they could return to their own time, while comforting the young Marcassin, who kept weeping over the loss of his father- especially after his oldest brother left! Esther normally stuck beside him, soothing him by assuring him things would be alright, playing a song on her harp to help ease his emotional pain, until he fell asleep.

"Poor Marcassin..." Esther whispered, slipping out of the youngest prince's bedroom, keeping the door open a crack as she looked in at him, after he had fallen asleep. She turned to Oliver. "What are we going to do?"

Oliver sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know..." he replied. Losing a parent wasn't something easy to deal with- he knew that much from his own experience. "Swaine won't come out of his room, either."

"What a bunting!" Mr. Drippy sneered. "His little brother is in there devastated, an' he's shutting himself up like he's th' only one who lost a father!"

"Mr. Drippy, watch your mouth!" Esther scolded. "It's just as hard on Swaine as it is on Marcassin... coming back 15 years, just to see his father die... I feel so bad for him."

"Still, ya think it would be enough to get him to realize how much his little brother needs him, en't it? 'specially after that promise his younger-self made 'bout coming back when he needs him."

"But Marcassin doesn't know he's his brother," Oliver pointed out.

"Well, it's high-time someone told him, huh?"

The young wizard shook his head. "That's not up to us to decide- it's Swaine's choice." he looked down the corridor, where the thief was residing in a room around the corner. "And it might be a while..."

Esther lied a hand on his shoulder. "Oliver... I'm worried about him," she confessed, wincing. "He's been in there for days. He hasn't eaten, hasn't said a word..."

"Aye, haven't seen such a case since I first met you, Ollie-boy." Mr. Drippy stated. "Swaine might need someone to snap him out of it, like what I had to do with you."

Oliver looked out the ground- despite the fairy had somewhat of a point, he wished he brought it up in a more subtle manner. It would be best if the fairy didn't volunteer to talk to the thief- knowing he wasn't the most sentimental one when it came to moments like this, there was a chance he would end up as target-practice for Swaine's pickpocket pistol.

"I'll go talk to him," Oliver said, then turned to Esther. "You stay by here, in case Marcassin wakes up."

"Right-o, Ollie-boy, lets go get that thief outta his room," Mr. Drippy stated.

"Um... why don't you stay with Esther, Mr. Drippy? Just for extra support,"

The fairy crossed his arms. "Alright, I get it- ya don't think Esther can manage th' kid on her own, and needs some assistance. Read ya loud 'n' clear, mun."

Esther shook her head, sighing, then turned to Oliver. "Good luck, Oliver." she told him, and he walked off. She then turned to Mr. Drippy. "What do you mean I can't handle Marcassin on my own? Need I remind you which of us has been staying up most of the nights tending to him?"

"Aye, and ya wouldn't believe how much coffee I need to drink just to stay awake for an hour!"

Esther sighed, giving up.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Oliver walked around the corner, the echo of his own footsteps being the only sound in the corridor. It was night, and since all of Hamelin was already surrounded by walls equipped with a tinted skylight, the Porcine Palace looked twice more dark than any other castle he had been in since coming to the parallel world. It left a chill in his spine, but he kept focused on the task at hand, finding the door to Swaine's room.

At first he just stood there, not knowing what to do next, even being afraid to knock. With the kind of temper Swaine had, one wrong move would land him in a lashing, and the last thing he wanted was to make the thief more upset than he already was, and give him more reason to stay shut up in his room.

When he had been in the same situation, he just sat in his room, ignoring everyone who came by, breaking down in tears after they had left. He didn't want to talk to anyone, he didn't want to leave the house... all he wanted was to be alone. If he had never freed Mr. Drippy from his spell, he would have remained in his room forever- even though the fairy wasn't quite sympathetic, he still managed to get the young wizard back on his feet. ...Now, Oliver wanted to do the same for Swaine.

Gathering his courage, he tapped his fist on the door. "Swaine...?" he said, quietly. "It's just me... I... I want to talk to you, if that's alright."

No answer. Perhaps the thief was asleep, as it was the middle of the night... but from what he learned when they started travelling together was that Swaine was always up late, perhaps an adaptation he gained while fending for himself. It would explain the tired look that was always on his face, as if he never could seem to sleep at night- he could even manage to find time to sleep. Chances are, he hadn't been able to sleep at all the past few nights.

Oliver knew he couldn't, after losing his mother.

He then decided to try the handle, gently lying his hand on it and slowly pushing down...

There was a clicking sound as, within three seconds, the door was yanked open, and there stood the thief, glaring down at Oliver. "Can't you take a hint?!" he snarled. "If I don't answer, you don't try sneaking in- now beat it!" with that, he slammed the door in his face.

Oliver winced, then rested his hand against the door, bowing his head. "Please, Swaine... I... I just want to help."

Silence.

The young wizard leaned his back against the door. "You're not alone on this... I did the same thing, when I lost my mom... so I understand how you're feeling, and-"

The door swung open once more, making him fall back and hit the floor, looking up to see Swaine's still-bitter expression. "The difference between your case and mine... is the fact that you actually have a chance to _bring your mom back_!" he snapped. "You find Alicia, save her from Shadar, and then your mother will just come back from the dead and all your problems will be solved! ...Meanwhile, my dad's dead- and when we return to our time, he'll have been dead _fifteen years! _You don't know what it feels like one bit!" He then turned away, storming over to the window, breathing heavily as he looked out at the shadows of the city.

Oliver stood up, rubbing his head, turning to the thief. He looked out the door, making sure no one else heard- the last thing they needed was Mr. Drippy, Esther, or even a guard running in and demanding what was going on. He closed the door quietly, then approached the thief. "I _do_ know, Swaine. I just want to help you too-"

"You can help by getting the hell _out_!" Swaine turned and shoved Oliver-

Harder than he thought, as he caused the boy to slam hard against the wall, making him grunt with pain. Oliver gripped his ribs, tears beginning to run down his face, as he took in deep breaths after getting the air knocked out of him.

The thief stood there, fists clenched tightly, breathing hard in anger, until his mind processed what he had just done. He began to tremble just then, falling to his knees, covering his face. "I'm sorry..." he gasped. "Please, just... get out... leave me alone..."

Oliver only sat there for a few minutes, looking over at Swaine, as the older man tried hard to stifle his sobs. He looked at the ground, sighing. He wanted to do or say something... but he didn't know how to comfort someone in a situation like this. His mother would, though- whenever she saw him crying, she always knew how to make things right... which only made him wish she were still here, now.

"It still hurts," he whispered after a long silence, tears still running down his face. "Even... even if I do succeed... it won't change the fact that I still lost her... I just want the pain to go away- for both of us."

Swaine looked up, a glare still in his eyes, wishing the wizard would drop the subject and leave, already.

Oliver shut his eyes. "I wanted to be alone too... but it just made it worse. I know you've been alone, all these years... but you're not anymore, Swaine..."

"Oliver, please, shut up and leave... I don't care if you leave without me, go back to our own time- I wouldn't be any use to you, anyway. Just go."

He looked at him, wincing. "We still need you, Swaine. We wouldn't have gotten this far without you... and... and _he_ wouldn't want you to give up. Even when we had to fight Shadar back on that ship, you stayed with us. You helped us through Hamelin, to get to Marcassin- no matter how hard it was, you never left us behind... and we're not going to leave you behind either."

Swaine only sighed, bitterly. "Didn't you hear me the first time? I said-"

"I heard you! ...But I'm not going. No one deserves to be alone like this, especially friends. I still know how you feel, whether you believe it or not, and that feeling may never leave me until the day I die."

Swaine clenched his fists again. "Why are you so hell-bent on getting me to break down?! I already feel weak enough, hanging around some kid who knows how to use magic!"

Oliver shook his head. "I told you, I just want to help- whether you want it or not! You're only weak if you keep shutting everyone out, and let yourself get heart-broken again." he stood up, walking over to the thief. "And I'm not going to let that happen to you, again."

Swaine only sneered, then turned away.

Oliver sat down in front of him. "I care about you, Swaine... no matter how much you lash out, or push me, or take off, I'll always care about you and be around to help you... just like you said you would be for Marcassin."

Swaine turned his gaze back on him in shock, then gripped him by his shirt-collar, glaring at him. He didn't say anything, just gripped his collar tightly with one hand, while he clenched the other in a fist, as if he were ready to punch the boy for bringing up the promise he made to his brother... the promise he wasn't able to fulfill until 15 years went by...

A promise he wouldn't have been able to keep at all, if the wizard hadn't helped him- even though he had spied on them, stole from them, and kept secrets from them. He realized this, as he had his fist raised. His fist then began to shake, until he lowered it, releasing Oliver and covering his face with one hand, while the other pressed against the floor to keep him steady as he hunched over.

Oliver, in the meantime, looked down at the ground. No matter what he said, he didn't seem to be helping his friend at all. There was just too much pain in his heart... and showing sympathy just seemed to be making it worse, as if he were reminding the thief of his despair. He had the idea to leave now and just let him work it out... but at the same time, he didn't want him to be alone like this. He couldn't think of anything else to tell him- opening his mouth again would probably just upset him even more, anyway.

Having no other idea in mind, Oliver quickly reached out and wrapped his arms around Swaine, burying his face in his shoulder and holding him tightly, regardless of what the thief would do- he would probably force him away and snap at him, tell him to stop treating him like a helpless child... though, Oliver would probably respond with the fact that, that was exactly how Swaine was acting... and how he had acted the same way... and wanted to be held by his mother, the only one who could make the pain go away whenever he sat on the floor, crying. He could feel the thief trembling, hearing him breath deeply, feeling tears fall from his face and onto his back as the young wizard kept a hold on him.

With a heavy sob, Swaine wrapped his arms around Oliver, gripping him tightly. All the kid wanted to do was comfort him, and how did he respond? Snapping at him, pushing him, shunning him... coming close to hitting him... even after being told his friend cared about him, as much as he cared about his brother...

Maybe that's what nearly caused him to lose it. He cared about Marcassin, but had left him for 15 years... not knowing about the tragedy that took place, until now... both of them having to be alone. If the young wizard claimed he cared for Swaine just as much, but left...

But Oliver wasn't like him. He was stronger- despite his despair over losing his mother, he was still determined to travel to a world he knew little about to bring her back to life, no matter how ridiculous it sounded, learning all he had to know to defeat Shadar, free Alicia, and make it happen! His determination showed how much he cared... and if the journey so far hadn't proven it, the fact that he remained at Swaine's side this whole time has. And that only made Swaine feel worse- compared to Oliver, it was like he barely cared at all...

But... that was before the young wizard mended his broken-heart. During those years, living in a world on his own, having to steal and cheat and lie to survive, he let it get broken, no longer caring what he stole or who from, losing restraint. Learning that Oliver was going to Autumnia had given him the idea to hitch a free ride... and learning they were looking for Marcassin was what reminded him that his brother needed him, giving him the desire to see him again, remembering his promise.

And, after his restraint was restored, so was his determination. Oliver was right- no matter what they faced, even when Shadar showed up, he was still set on getting back to his brother. Maybe he did care a lot... he just lost sight of it because of his own hardships.

Thinking about it, Swaine held Oliver tighter, both of them still sobbing, yet lighter now. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay," the boy whispered back.

Neither of them said anything more, as words had been exchanged enough for the night, and just held onto each other until the tears ceased, and fatigue overcame them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Esther sat at the end of Marcassin's bed, the little prince still fast asleep, as well as Mr. Drippy, the fairy having dosed off a while ago. The familiar-tamer, though drowsy, couldn't bring herself to sleep just yet, wondering how Oliver was doing, trying to talk to Swaine. _It's been almost three hours, _she thought, standing up and walking quietly into the hall, heading to Swaine's room, wondering what could have happened during all this time and why Oliver hadn't checked back yet.

Her answer came when she got to the door, discovering it wasn't locked. Carefully, she opened it, peeking inside... and nothing could have braced her for what she found.

Sitting on the floor, leaned against the side of the bed, was Swaine, fast asleep with Oliver on his lap, resting his head on his chest.

Smiling, she sighed with relief, quietly shutting the door as she went back to Marcassin's room, now that she knew everything was alright with her friends.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Light filtered into the room hours later, awaking Oliver first. The first thing he heard was Swaine breathing heavily, as he noticed they were both asleep on the floor. He sat up, stretching a bit, deciding to go find Esther and let her know everything was okay now, let alone see how Marcassin was doing today.

He lightly tapped Swaine on the shoulder. "Swaine... it's morning now," he whispered.

"Ugh... zzz... huh?" Swaine groaned, groggily. "Wazzat you say...?"

Oliver shook his head, giving a smile. "Never mind. Go ahead and sleep in... when you're ready to come out, we'll be waiting,"

"Mm-hmm..." The thief just lied his head back down, drifting back off to sleep.

Oliver stood up, deciding to let his friend resume his rest, as he knew he would need it for the rest of their journey.

He was at the door when he heard him whisper, "Thank you,"

The young wizard looked back at him, nodding. "You're welcome," he whispered back, slipping out and locking the door on his way out before closing it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Hands up- who all wants me to draw a fan-art picture of that last scene? XD

Hope you all enjoyed!


	7. Instincts and Nightmares

So I was browsing Ni No Kuni pictures on DeviantArt, and came across a drawing (titled 'Oliver's Nightmare') by a member, Mr-Minimask... and that's basically where I gained inspiration for this next drabble. This time Esther is going to share a part, since it's only fair she should be part of the moment (and was included in the drawing)... So, hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the game or the fan-art this derives from.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cold.

That's all the group could feel when they entered the small village of Yule, in the Winterlands. They had been on a search for one of the missing stones for Mornstar, getting some information from a grimalkin archaeologist, Purrofessor Tabitha, about the Glittering Grotto, where one of the stones was hidden. However, they needed permission from the village elder to enter the icy caves, yet he was away at a meeting of the elders and wouldn't be back until the next day.

The thief felt agitated- after all, they came all the way here and were freezing, but couldn't hurry and get the stone and get back to a warm climate! But at the same time, he felt a little relief. The journey was getting tiresome, even if they Fast-Traveled or rode on Tengri most of the way, as it seemed a new battle awaited them each day. He was surprised Oliver was still energetic enough to continue- not only had the young wizard fought the most fearsome creatures they had ever seen, but he always took time out of his quest to do favors for others, or mend broken-hearts! And he was only 13! When Swaine was his age, he always felt wiped out by the end of the day- granted it was because he had been on the run, but still...

They booked a room at the Cat's Cradle, and were all relieved that the inside of the building was nice and warm, rather than chilly like its exterior. Since it was still early in the evening, Esther decided to go through the supplies to make sure they had enough, knowing they would be facing something fierce later on; Oliver took out his Wizard's Companion to look over the new pages he obtained during the last few days of their trip, Mr. Drippy reading over his shoulder; and Swaine was lying down on the bed, seemingly falling asleep.

"Honestly, Oliver, I think Swaine sleeps more than anyone else in the world," Esther scoffed, looking over at the thief, speaking quietly so not to wake him.

"He's just tired. We've been travelling and fighting a lot, lately." Oliver told her. He could understand Swaine's position a little better than the others- a grown man having to keep up with a couple kids, going around the world and fighting whatever came their way, each task leading to another. And considering the thief had spent a majority of his life running from something, chances were he always looked forward to the chance of lying down in a comfortable bed.

"Aye, but he's always th' first to hit the mattress!" Mr. Drippy replied. "As tired as he always looks, I'm surprised he doesn't ask us to carry him everywhere!"

"...You do realize I'm still awake, don't you?" Swaine spoke up, causing the fairy and desert-girl to jump a bit.

"Swaine! I thought you fell right to sleep!" Esther said.

"I would have, if your mouths didn't keep me up," Swaine sat up, giving them a look. "And for your informaiton, it's hard enough trying to get some sleep on these trips as it is,"

"Could've fooled us, mun." Mr. Drippy stated. "You always look like youe're out like a rock th' minute we find a place to rest!"

"If you don't fall asleep, what do you do?" Oliver asked, curiously.

"I just like to lie down and think, is all. Relax a bit while you're all quiet," Swaine replied, lying back down, draping an arm over his eyes. "Normally I don't fall asleep until you lot are out cold,"

Oliver looked at him a moment longer, before going back to his book. Esther only shook her head and went through the supplies, Mr. Drippy this time helping her just to see what kind of items they found on their travels. The room was quiet, outside of the Lord High Lord of the Fairies talking about how it was so cold outside the flame in his lantern might turn to ice, or Esther occasionally asking what kinds of supplies she should pick up as she was making a list to go shopping tomorrow.

The young wizard, every minute or so, would look back at Swaine, wondering if he was still awake, or if he was just making things up to get Esther and Mr. Drippy off his case. Earlier, the desert-girl had argued with him, calling him a coward when he stated he had a funny feeling about going up to the Glittering Grotto. Despite they had already faced so many monsters, that it would be possible they would be used to it, Oliver once again could understand- they didn't know what exactly was in the icy caves, so there was some reason to feel a bit anxious.

Then there was the fact that they were just another day closer to facing Shadar, which gave them all a good reason to be afraid... but the young wizard kept swallowing his fear, refusing to back down and determined to defeat the Dark Djinn, free Alicia, and save his mother.

Letting out a yawn, he closed his book, stuffing it back in his bag and taking off his cape and shoes, ready for bed. Esther seemed to have the same idea, as she had already taken off her shoes and lied down on the other side of the bed and turning out the light, while Mr. Drippy curled up in a chair, snoring softly. Oliver lied down in the middle, shutting his eyes, drifting to sleep...

That's when the nightmare began.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once he sensed the lights go out, Swaine uncovered his eyes, looking up at the dark ceiling. He had half-lied when he told the others he didn't fall asleep until they were all in a deep slumber... no, he stayed up longer, often not falling asleep until at least 4 in the morning. The habit didn't start until later on in their journey, when the dangers seemed to increase, and he began to feel a sense of responsibility towards his friends. After all, he was the oldest in the group- well, second oldest, next to Mr. Drippy- so that gave him the role of keeping an eye on the others.

Not that he did much of a job, since they all watched each other's backs. Perhaps it was more of an instinct he had grown up with- he used to watch after Marcassin before he left the kingdom, always having the feeling to go back and check on him, which proved difficult once he took up the life of a thief. The instinct must have resurfaced after the first time they fought Shadar, at sea, and the ship nearly sunk, and after they got to Hamelin, he felt it would be best if he stuck around them a little longer and help them out... Eventually choosing to stick with them completely.

The instinct really kicked in during the night. Having been on his own most of his life, the thief knew what all could happen after the sun went down, and always had a feeling Shadar was about to pull some sort of trick. It was that last idea that lead him to stay on guard late into the nights- he was used to getting little sleep, anyway, going through life without restraint, which also meant going nights without sleeping, eager to make his next move on some poor sap. After his heart had been mended, he began to ease down somewhat, but refused to drop his guard just yet- not until they were completely out of danger.

Funny, he never thought 'babysitting' would be so dangerous...

Two hours went by, and he began to drift off. _Ah, what the hell? _he thought. _Nothing has happened to us so far. And I'm going to need some rest if I'm going to be hiking up a freezing mountain tomorrow. _

"Ugn..."

Just when Swaine was about to slip off to dreamland, he heard a groan, feeling someone stirring in the bed. "Typical..." he sighed, then sat up, looking over, seeing Oliver was softly moaning and rolling a bit. He reached over and tapped Oliver on the shoulder. "Hey, Oliver, wake up... you're dreaming,"

"N-No...!" Oliver seemed to gasp in his sleep, beginning to thrash.

The thief began to grow concerned- true, Oliver had his share of nightmares, but this one seemed to be upsetting him. "Oliver, wake up! C'mon," he tried again, but the boy seemed to be stuck in a nightmare.

"What's going on?" Esther gasped, being awakened by the young wizard's tossing and turning.

"He's having a nightmare,"

"Wake him up, then!"

Swaine gave her a look. "Brilliant idea, Esther, why didn't I try that? ...He won't wake up,"

"M-Mom..." Oliver moaned, beginning to sob. Esther lifted his head, stroking it to help calm him from his bad dream.

Swaine looked over at Mr. Drippy, still asleep as the fairy was a heavy sleeper. He thought about throwing something at him to wake him up so they could have some support, but decided to focus on Oliver instead. _What could be going on in his head to make him act like this? _he wondered, concerned. He rested a hand on Oliver's shoulder, listening as Esther hushed the young wizard, telling him everything was alright.

Or... was it? _What if... What if it's some sort of trick of Shadar's? _Swaine thought, worriedly. What if the Dark Djinn had cursed their friend into a realm of endless nightmares, to which there was no escape?

"Oliver, please wake up..." Esther said, beginning to shed tears. One thing the thief admired about their familiar-tamer was how supportive she was, even if she wasn't the best fighter- she was always there to talk to, healing them during battle with her harp, and showing the most concern a girl could show. She then looked up at Swaine. "What are we going to do?"

Swaine bit his bottom lip. How ironic it was that he dubbed himself as a caretaker for these kids, yet couldn't help one wake up from a nightmare! He looked over at their packs, getting an idea. "Hold on," he told her, then ran over to a bag and grabbed a bottle of spring water.

*Splash!*

Oliver gasped, sitting up, now fully awake. "W-What...? What's going on?" he stammered, then began to shiver from the cold water. "Why am I all wet?"

Esther gave Swaine a scorning look. "Was dumping water on him really the best idea you had?!" she demanded.

"It woke him up, didn't it?" Swaine retorted, then turned to Oliver. "You were having one heck of a nightmare, Oliver. Are you alright?"

Oliver nodded. "Y-Yeah... thanks for waking me," he replied, climbing off the bed. "Though, I'll have to change..."

"And we're going to be sleeping on the floor tonight," Esther added, pointing out how part of the bed was now soaked, but decided to put her focus back on Oliver before she and Swaine broke out in another battle of words. "What was that nightmare about, Oliver?"

Oliver bit his lip. "It was about Shadar..."

_I figured that damn djinn had something to do with it, _Swaine thought, then rested a hand on Oliver's shoulder. "You can tell us in the morning. Right now, better change into some dry clothes and get back to sleep," he advised.

"How could anyone get back to sleep after having a nightmare involving Shadar?" Esther questioned.

"It's alright, Esther. I'm fine now," Oliver assured her, grabbing his pack and walking into a connecting bathroom to change.

While he was in there, Esther sighed, sitting on the bed. "I'm really worried about him, Swaine," she confided, quietly. "Having these nightmares, going through so much trouble... all to just get his mom back, too."

"He'll be fine," Swaine said, stretching and yawning as if it were no big deal.

Esther only seemed to glare at him- how could the thief act so nonchalant? "And what about when he has to face Shadar again?"

Swaine gave her a look. "We'll be at his side to help him fight, and once we complete Mornstar, Shadar will be the one having nightmares. ...Don't think pessimistically- that's my job,"

Esther sighed, nodding. "I'm sorry, it's just..."

"You're worried, I know. It'll be alright, stop fretting."

Esther looked back up at him. "Aren't you worried?"

Swaine sighed- of course he was worried. Why else would he be staying up late at night to watch out for these kids? "If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here, would I?"

Oliver stepped back out, changed into a dry set of clothes, setting his wet ones on the floor. Esther grabbed some spare blankets out of their packs while Swaine grabbed some pillows off the bed, all of them making themselves comfortable on the floor. After about half an hour, Esther managed to fall back to sleep. Only Swaine and Oliver remained awake.

The young wizard couldn't bring himself to sleep after the nightmare. It felt so real...

Swaine lied his head down, ready to get some sleep, though noticed his friend was still sitting up. "Something still bugging you, Oliver?" he asked, even though it was obvious.

"Kind of. I was just thinking... about... well..." Oliver said quietly, trying to figure out how to tell the thief he was growing nervous. "Do you think I can do it? ...Face Shadar, I mean."

Swaine looked up at him, curiously. "What, you don't think you can?"

"I believe I can... but... I don't know. A lot has happened since I've come here, and I'm beginning to grow nervous. I've gotten used to fighting and using spells... but I don't think it's a good thing, that I'm getting used to fighting, just to grow stronger, is it?"

Swaine shook his head. "You're asking the wrong person, kid... But, I do know one thing- it's better to have experience in fighting, in order to help someone, rather than to have no experience at all and fail. And I think you can defeat Shadar, namely because you're the only one who has chosen to fight against him in years. ...Don't let some nightmare make you think otherwise,"

Oliver nodded. "Okay..." he lied down, shutting his eyes.

Swaine watched him for a few more minutes, his own mind wandering. Not too long ago, he was beginning to wonder if he was even good at watching out for his friends... Once again, his 'brotherly' instinct had kicked in gear, and he managed to help- not too much, but just enough.

Tomorrow, Oliver would no doubt tell them about his nightmare... but the thief had a feeling he wouldn't be as upset as he was earlier, as he watched him sleep peacefully now. In his opinion, it would take more than some lousy nightmare to get Oliver to turn and run. And when they encounter the Dark Djinn, Swaine figured, the fiend would be at not only the mercy of the Pure-Hearted One... but also the friends who had his back.

The biggest mistake Shadar had ever made was messing with his family, and in due time he would regret it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Decided to hold back on the fluff just a little bit this time. I was also inspired by the story, "Nervous" by _Sylvera_ (the only other fic centered around Oliver and Swaine) and included a bit of a reference from it- though not too much so I wouldn't be accused of plagiarism.

Anyway, if anyone's got requests, I'd like to hear 'em. Other than that, review! (But no flames)


	8. Peace

And here's another drabble- full of spoilers! Enjoy and please don't kill me!

Also, sorry for placing all these events out of order, I'm sure it must get irritating. Hope you like them nonetheless!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned the game... and a PS3... and a chocolate fountain.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

At last, it had been done. They had finally defeated Shadar at last...

Sadly, however, Oliver disappeared after the battle, in a flash of light.

Esther fell to her knees, picking up the Wizard's Companion that had dropped on the floor, holding it tightly while weeping. Even Mr. Drippy, the least-sentimental of the bunch, was on his hands and knees in grief. "No, no, no..." the fairy was sobbing.

Then there was Swaine, the cynical thief, who only stood there in stunned silence. _No... _he thought, wincing.

He didn't want to believe it at first, that Shadar and Oliver were soul-mates, and the destruction of the Dark Djinn would also mean the end of their friend... yet it turned out to be true. But the saddest part was how Oliver still chose to fight, even though it would cost him his own life... and was even alright with his friends joining in.

It felt as if they had killed their friend.

_First my father... now Oliver! Dammit! _The thief thought, clenching his fists. _After all we've been through... all he's been through... he didn't deserve this!_

Suddenly there was a glow, and they looked up... seeing to their surprise a portal open, Oliver floating through!

"Oliver/Ollie-boy!" They all cried, running forth.

"Youer all in one piece, mun!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed.

"I'm not dreaming this, am I?" Swaine asked, praying to God this wasn't some trick.

"But what about Shadar? He could still be here!" Esther gasped, her statement making the thief stand up straight, bracing himself for an attack.

"No, he's not," Oliver said, calmly, the others looking at him, confused. "Shadar... he's gone."

"What? But how?" Esther asked.

"He wanted to protect the world,"

"He could've fooled me!" Swaine scoffed.

"It's true. I saw into his heart... I saw it all," The wizard's tone was calm, almost sympathetic, which the thief couldn't quite understand. "Shadar... No. I mean Lucien. The truth is... he was a warrior. All he wanted to do was help people... but, then he was given orders to destroy a village... but he refused. Instead, he tried to save someone, only managing to save one girl. Then... then his own comrades turned him in, and they burned down his village as punishment... That's when he gave up hope, and let despair take him over."

"Oh..." Esther gasped.

"But if he wanted to protect the world so badly, why didn't he just use his powers to save lives, rather than... take them?" Swaine questioned, still having a grudge against Shadar.

"He didn't believe there was any good in the world. ...But, he's moved on now," Oliver replied. "He severed the link between our souls... so I wouldn't die,"

"He did? Crikey, who knew Shadar would spare a life?" Mr. Drippy replied.

"I don't know... Maybe because, he believes that..."

*Rumble rumble!*

The castle began to shake just then, and the group gasped. "This place is about to cave in on us!" Swaine cried out.

"Run for your ruddy lives!" Mr. Drippy shouted.

As fast as they could, they ran through the halls, practically leaping down the stairs, avoiding falling beams and stones. Even the creatures that swarmed the place paid them no mind, instead aiming to get out as well. _I should have known there'd be another disaster waiting! _Swaine thought, stumbling a bit as they made a turn, heading for the entrance.

They made it out in time, greenish smoke billowing out from behind them. They ran an extra way's until they were a good distance away, watching from afar as the castle crumbled. "The... The castle!" Oliver gasped, watching as the smoke billowed up to a light in the sky...

There was a bright flash, and suddenly Oliver fell back. "Oliver!" Esther gasped. "Oh, not again..."

_How many times is this kid going to pass out on us?! _Swaine thought. "He's... he's not cursed, is he?" he asked.

"No, he's just... asleep, it seems," Mr. Drippy guessed.

_A fine time to take a nap! _The thief thought, kneeling beside him.

"Esther... Swaine... Mr. Drippy..." Oliver murmured in his sleep. "Where are you...?"

"We're right here, Oliver!" Esther said, holding his hand. "Oh, please wake up..."

_I swear to God, if this is another trick of Shadar's...! _Swaine thought, but sighed. What could he do? It was clear the Dark Djinn was gone... or, so he hoped. For a moment, he felt as if that final battle took everything out of Oliver, that even though their links were severed, the wizard would still die... that it would be like the last time...

But, to the thief's surprise, Oliver seemed to be... smiling! He lied a hand on his chest, feeling his heart-beat, finding it wasn't slowing down anytime soon, and he let out a relieved sigh.

There was a glow just then, and he noticed something appear around the wizard's neck- a shell-like pendent. "Huh?" he whispered.

"...mom," Oliver murmured, stirring a little more.

"I think he's snapping out of it!" Swaine exclaimed.

"Oliver!" Esther said to him, stroking his head.

"Oi! Ollie-boy!" Mr. Drippy joined in. "What're you doin'?"

Oliver slowly opened his eyes, sitting up. "Have a nice nap?" Swaine asked, smiling- how relieved he was to see his friend alive!

"You're all here!" Oliver said, smiling.

"Where else would we be?" Mr. Drippy questioned.

"You just collapsed all of a sudden! We were worried," Esther said.

"S-Sorry," Oliver replied.

Swaine caught something out of the corner of his eye, as the sun began to rise. "Get a load at that!" he told them.

"It's so beautiful!" Esther exclaimed. "It's like everything awoken from a long sleep,"

"En't it?" Mr. Drippy agreed.

"So our tale has come to an end." Swaine said, both relieved yet sad at the same time. Despite the danger, he enjoyed the adventure.

They stared across the lake, at the green isle that used to be a dark castle, a smile growing on the wizard's face.

"Right, you lot. What's next?" The thief had to ask, hoping their adventure could stretch on just a little longer, before they each moved on with their lives.

"Lets go see what's going on in the world!" Oliver exclaimed.

"Yeah, things should be back to normal now, eh?" Mr. Drippy replied.

The young wizard was the first to get a head start. "Only one way to find out!" he waved them along, running ahead.

Mr. Drippy ran ahead, leaping as he did, Esther quickly gaining, and Swaine stumbled a bit, trying to keep up. They continued along the large, grassy field that had been the Miasma Marshes, and the thief was slowly forgetting how gloomy the area used to be.

It felt like a dream to him, that Shadar had been defeated at last, and they all made it out alive, he and the two kids whom, in the beginning, he didn't plan on getting attached to, yet found hard to leave behind. They had all grown close, he saw, as if throughout their journey they grew to become good friends and partners in battle...

No, it was more than that.

They became a family... the way Mr. Drippy had explained it a long time ago. The thought at first made Swaine sick, as he only wanted to get to Hamelin, see Marcassin, then move on... But, he ended up sticking with them after that. He could have stayed with Marcassin and helped him rule Hamelin... But he felt his place was out in the world with the young wizard, to stay with him until he accomplished his goal and defeated Shadar.

Looking around at the beautiful world now, it was hard for him to think back to his old life- the life of a lowly, selfish thief, having gone it alone for so many years that he practically stopped relying on others, resorting to cowardly tactics of stealing from and cheating others in order to make a living, losing his own restraint, believing anything he saw and liked he had to have.

But that was over now. Now, he was helping others- helping save the world! All the pain in the past fading away, and he could finally move on to a better life. And it was all thanks to the young wizard who mended his broken heart.

Swaine looked at Oliver, grinning as he thought this. Despite there were times where he wished he could stay behind and let the kid run off and do a crazy stunt, like shooting out of a cannon into Fairy Godmother's mouth or heading off to find Sky Pirates, he couldn't help but feel glad he joined the wizard's quest. There were times of despair and terror, times of humor and relief, even times of romance on a couple occasions, yet no matter what they stuck together.

What the thief couldn't understand was why Oliver ever considered letting him come with them in the first place, especially since the thief had stolen from them and didn't exactly make a trustworthy impression, and barely had any magical abilities outside of his familiar, Gunthur. Sure, his pickpocket's pistol could open green chests and was useful in battle, and he had helped carve the Clarion... but other than that, he didn't think he could do too much. Esther, though not much of a fighter, could heal them up greatly with her harp, and even tamed a surplus of familiars over their travels- even Mr. Drippy was useful when giving points on how to take out an enemy, and using his Tidy Tears to heal the whole group when Esther didn't. Swaine... well, he was just good at swiping things and shooting.

Yet Oliver still saw something worthy inside him. Maybe it was because he could relate- both of them had become orphans, and had left their old homes to either try to make something of themselves, or save a loved one. But, Oliver, as young as he was, managed to show more determination, and was more strong than Swaine wished he had been when he was his age.

Maybe that strength came from the friends he had made. Swaine had learned that, when Alicia had passed away, Oliver stayed in his room in despair for three days... and if Mr. Drippy hadn't been broken from his spell, he would have stayed there. As the boy went along, he began to grow stronger- Esther joining him and helping him throughout the journey, and eventually Swaine. Maybe, since he had friends to support him, that helped his confidence grow, and it kept growing with every person he helped.

The thief wished that he had been that wise when he left, but he had been raised to learn how to take care of himself, as it was 'the Hamelin way'. If only he learned sooner that going it alone would lead to a downfall, that one needed help to achieve anything...

"Swaine!" Oliver called, breaking him from his thoughts. He noticed they were coming close to Perdida now, the others being near the top of the mountain path. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, mun! You havin' trouble keepin' up?" Mr. Drippy called.

Swaine shook his head. "Coming!" he called back, picking up the pace. "Just didn't think we were in a hurry to enjoy the scenery,"

"You were lagging, don't deny it." Esther scoffed with a smirk. "I'm surprised you're not bursting with excitement- the world is saved! We should go celebrate!"

"Yeah! We can tell all the kingdoms about it!" Oliver agreed.

"A world-wide party, huh? Sounds like a good way to celebrate," Swaine said, stretching a bit.

"We can tell Khulan, first." Esther suggested. "We're close to Perdida, anyway, and she can help spread the word!"

"Works for me!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed. "Wait till we tell everyone at the Fairygrounds their very own Lord High Lord of the Fairies helped take down Shadar!"

Oliver nodded. "Lets go, then!" he exclaimed, and they ran forth to Perdida.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Upon hearing the news that Shadar was finally no more, Khulan couldn't help but smile. "So the Dark Djinn's tale is finally at an end... I shall spread the word to my people, and fellow sages." She replied. "I shall call upon Kublai, as well- he should hear the news, and help share it."

"Yes, and you two can finally be together!" Esther said, giddily. Swaine had to roll his eyes- the familiar-tamer was such a hopeless romantic.

"Where is he, now?" Oliver asked.

"The Iron Wyvern is not too far from here- my beloved has been remaining close, since you have mended my broken heart." Khulan answered.

"That's so sweet!" Esther exclaimed, and Swaine could practically see hearts bubbling over her head.

"I will go to him immediately... but, I believe you should get some rest, first. You all have faced an ordeal, I can tell, and should get some sleep before travelling further,"

"Couldn't agree more," Swaine said, noticing Esther roll her eyes but said nothing.

They went to the Cat's Cradle- upon hearing word that the Dark Djinn was gone, the purrprietor claimed they could stay for free, much to their thanks as they had already spent a large sum of their guilders for supplies on their way to the Miasma Marshes.

Swaine immediately hit the mattress in his room, drifting to sleep... his dream beginning.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_He found himself in the royal chambers back at the Porcine Palace... yet, the room seemed to have a white glow to it, as if everything were made of marble-stone. "Huh? What's going on? How'd I end up here?" Swaine asked. "Oliver! Esther!"_

_"Gascon."_

_Swaine paused, then turned around, his eyes widening. Standing there was the old Emporer of Hamelin- his father. "F-Father...?"_

_The Emporer smiled. "My son... I am so proud of you. You have achieved so much since you were a boy,"_

_Swaine smiled, but it faded. "But... how can you be proud? I barely achieved anything- I lead the life of a thief! I left Marcassin- the whole Kingdom- behind, and ended up in the gutter! I hardly achieved anything..."_

_"Has your mind grown dense, Gascon? Do you not recall sticking to your promise to return to Marcassin when he needed you? Have you've forgotten how you've helped the Pure-Hearted One in his journey to defeat Shadar?"_

_Swaine shook his head. "Oliver was the one who made those achievements... If it weren't for him, I would still be a broken-hearted criminal, and Hamelin would have fallen to ruin. He was the one who helped Marcassin. He was the one who defeated Shadar-"_

_"Yet he could not have done it without you. Who carved the Clarion when Marcassin could not? Who swallowed his pride to assist two strangers in their journey? ...Gascon, you have proven yourself more worthy than you realize. I could not be more proud to have not one, but two sons who have had a hand in saving the world." he walked over, resting a hand on his son's shoulder. "You have changed so much over the years, my son. You have brought forth a new sense of pride to the kingdom- a sense that no one has to stand alone."_

_Swaine began to wince, resting his hand over his father's. "I... Thank you, father..."_

_Suddenly the room disappeared, showing a light shining above, his father rising up into the light. "Gascon... Carry forth, my son, and know that I will be watching, with pride."_

_Tears began to run down his face, as he smiled. "Father..."_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Swaine?"

"Mmf... hmm?" Swaine mumbled, waking up, seeing Oliver. "What, did I sleep in?"

"No, it's just... I came by to see if you wanted to go get some iced-coffee, and... I saw you crying in your sleep." The wizard said, meekly. "Is everything okay?"

Swaine felt his cheek, feeling the trail of a tear, but gave a soft smile. "I'm alright, Oliver... Better than before, actually. ...I'm not sad, if that's what you're thinking."

Oliver nodded. "Okay. Well, if you're still tired, I can go..."

"Nah... I think I've gotten enough sleep- I could use an iced coffee, anyway."

"Okay- Esther's getting ready now, so I'll meet you outside,"

Swaine nodded, then looked back at him. "Oliver, wait..." he said, catching him before the wizard walked out, then motioned him to come over, which he obliged. "I... I want to say thank you, for all you've done for me- and Marcassin. You really saved our necks and... well, I really appreciate it all. Thank you."

Oliver smiled. "You're welcome... But, you've been a big help, too. You could have stayed behind, but... you came along with us, every step of the way. And I'm glad you did,"

Swaine only shrugged smiling. "You helped me and my brother... It's the least I could do."

"Are... You're going to stick with us, right?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Well... I mean, I understand if you want to go back to Hamelin with Marcassin after this. I'll probably go back to Motorville after the celebration, myself. ...But, it's up to you whether you want to keep travelling with us a while longer, but if you want to stay with your brother, I don't mind. I'll miss you, but as long as you're happy-"

Swaine raised his hand, making Oliver pause. "I want to stay with my brother... but until you're ready to go back to your world, my place is with you. We started this adventure together, and we're going to finish it together." he rested a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "I wasted half my life being alone... I want to spend the rest of it with a friend,"

Oliver smiled back, nodding.

Swaine patted him on the back. "C'mon, lets go get those iced-coffees now," With that, they both walked out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: ...Anyone else notice how much coffee Oliver drinks in the game? It's a surprise he's not bouncing off the walls- and that Swaine can keep up!

Well, hope you enjoyed this one, folks. More will come!

Review. Send requests. Don't flame.


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